EPSRC invests £7m in materials research at SuperSTEM microscopy lab

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has invested £7 million in new equipment at the SuperSTEM microscopy laboratory.

According to the EPSRC, the funding will allow SuperSTEM to operate as the UK’s National Research Facility for Advanced Electron Microscopy.

The facility is designed to enable industrial and academic researchers to study the structure and chemistry of objects a millionth the width of a human hair, assisting in the development and understanding of new advanced materials.

The technology is particularly applicable to materials science and power generation, as well as in health and environmental research, EPSRC said.

Announcing the funding, science minister Jo Johnson said: “Thanks to this funding boost, the UK will continue to be home to valuable research that will help industries across the world develop more advanced materials that could go on to replicate the success of graphene.

“Through our new Industrial Strategy and additional investment of £2.3 billion for research and development, we are laying the foundations and working with industry to ensure the UK remains at the forefront on innovation for years to come.”

Quentin Ramasse, director at SuperSTEM, added: “Challenges faced by society today, such as the development of new energy sources, or the provision of better healthcare and sustainability, all rely on the development of new materials, and SuperSTEM is enabling researchers to answer these challenges.”

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